Australian Awards for University Teaching — 2009

Awards for Teaching Excellence — Social Sciences — Recipient

Associate Professor Glenn Finger
Griffith University, Queensland

Synopsis

Glenn Finger has an unshakeable belief that teaching is the most important profession on the planet. As a teacher of teachers, his sustained passion for teaching and his deep commitment to students and their learning spans more than 35 years across a diverse range of educational settings and numerous teaching and leadership roles. During his 11 years in higher education, including the last three years as Deputy Dean (Learning and Teaching) in one of the largest education faculties in Australia, Glenn has continued to deliver inspiring classroom teaching and has influenced the field through his leadership in curriculum design, professional standards and research into pedagogy with information and communication technologies (ICT). In particular, he has enabled the transformation of learning and teaching through scholarly and highly innovative practice with new and emerging ICT. Although Glenn’s achievements are considerable, including being named the prestigious Australian Teacher Education Association Pearson Education Teacher Educator of the Year in 2008, his greatest pride and excitement is in the achievements of his many students, who go on to play their part in creating a better world for their students through teaching with ICT.